But Marty, who's cruised so many times that he's a Platinum VIP in the company's rewards program, was shocked when a representative told him he couldn't go on the inaugural trip because of where he was born: Cuba.
Now, as travelers get their bags ready for the first cruise to Cuba in more than 50 years, Marty is part of a new class-action lawsuit claiming that Carnival is discriminating against Cuban-Americans looking to travel to their homeland.
The lawsuit, filed by Marty and fellow traveler Amparo Sanchez, alleges that the company is violating federal civil rights laws and discriminating against Cubans by denying them tickets.
A spokesperson for Carnival responded to the lawsuit in a statement, writing, "This is not a decision by our Fathom brand, but rather a Cuba decision."
The statement cites a Cold War-era Cuban law that does not allow Cuban-born individuals to enter the country by ships, only via plane.
Carnival said the company requested a change in the regulation and has been working with the Cuban government on the issue for months.
But for Marty, that isn't enough.
Attorney Robert Rodriguez said his client has health issues that keep him from flying to the island.
Marty took part in the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and had been hoping to return to the beach he landed on to take "before" and "after" photos for an exhibit at a Miami museum, Rodriguez said.
Then, he was told he wouldn't be allowed on board.
"They said, 'Sorry, you can't go because you're Cuban,' " Rodriguez said. "That's just not the American way. You were given permission to sail to Cuba, not break the laws of the U.S."
Rodriguez said he plans to file an emergency motion early Monday, aiming for an immediate hearing, hoping that a judge will hear the case within the next week.
"I hope that Carnival cooperates, in terms of getting this litigated before the first cruise," Rodriguez said.
The weeklong cruise is set to sail to Havana on May 1, also making stops in Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. Tickets start at $1,800 per person, excluding other costs, such as Cuban visas.
Do similar cases set a precedent?
Rodriguez said he's confident the suit will succeed. One reason: the U.S. government has weighed in on similar situations in the past.
Miami-based civil rights attorney John de Leon says there are at least two similar cases in recent history.
According to de Leon, Kuwait Airways had a policy banning Israeli citizens from traveling between JFK and London's Heathrow airport.
"The Department of Transportation came out very strongly. ... They said they would not allow discrimination for anybody who is leaving an American port," said de Leon.
"The cruise ship had to balance its commercial interest verses its interest not to discriminate," said de Leon, who is Cuban-American.
"If they do the right thing, they are going to say, 'We are not going to discriminate against the Cubans in Miami, who have been loyal customers for years and generations.' "
Kerry: 'Carnival needs to not discriminate'
"We should not be in a situation where the Cuban government is forcing its discrimination policy on us. So we call on the government of Cuba to change that policy, and to recognize that if they want full relations and a normal relationship with the United States, they have to live by international laws, not exclusively by Cuban laws," he said.
A spokesman for the State Department later clarified Kerry's remarks, explaining that Kerry "in no way meant to convey that Carnival is supporting policies that are discriminating against Cuban-American travelers."
Source → Carnival's Cuba cruise discriminates, lawsuit says
